Breaking Through the Personal/Personnel Issues
Cost Efficient Designs?
With the possibility of more efficient, more cost effective designs it should be easy to get
the savings promised by GIS project managers. Shouldn’t it? First, we should consider
the user. The public utility field was long thought to be a job that would be held until
retirement, a job for life. New designers, still learning, had to spend hours and hours,
learning their craft from older, more experienced professionals, who had, in turn learned
from their predecessors. In this hierarchical system, the harder work was born by the
younger designers and the older designer often became “consultants”, managing several
designers, answering questions, providing experience-based help. Younger designers
looked forward to, one day, being that “expert” designer that everyone went to with
questions and was always admired as knowing everything about the job.
Well, we are going to change all that. First, in order to do the job now, everyone is going
to have to learn to use a new tool. Maybe it will even be the first real encounter with the
computer for some of the users. It will quickly become apparent that the older users are
having more trouble learning the application than the younger users. These “kids” cut
their teeth on computers and, as complicated as the application may be to use, are much
more adept at this tool than their mentors. We have reversed the pecking order. And we
have stolen from our most experienced users that one thing that they prize most – their
experience!
Left alone, these savvy, experienced older users will have little good to say about the new
technology. They will patiently search out any little bug, any small flaw in the software
and use it as an excuse for avoiding it. And there will be bugs, plenty of them, in any new
customized application. But, instead of having these bugs reported to the GIS team and
corrected, these bugs will be exploited by recalcitrant users. They will communicate them
through their own chain of command to, potentially, sympathetic senior management,
who have been burned by new software technology before. These experienced users will
also work hard to discourage their younger, less experienced users from trying to work
through all the adjustment problems.
The Users
If we understand what can happen, though, we can try to circumvent some of the
foreseeable problems before we roll out our application. If we truly value these older,
more experienced users, and we should, we will need to start their preparation far in
advance of the full rollout. After we identify them, we need to schedule them for any
necessary basic computer training – Windows, word processing, spreadsheet, etc. and
maybe even typing training may be necessary for them to even begin to use the new
tools.
Further, we need some of our oldest, most experience users to be on our user steering
committee. These users will have access to the software before and during development,
so they will have input into the areas that can be influenced, and fewer surprises in the
areas that can’t. This will be difficult on the users and the developers. It would be far
easier to get a few of the young, more computer-adept users on the steering committee.
But, it will be worth it. By listening to the experienced users, we can improve the product
that we are delivering. Having some influence and knowledge of the upcoming product
will help increase buyin by our users. And, they can have a chance to keep their role as
mentors and advisors to the rest of the community when the application is rolled out.
Measuring the Benefits
But, even so, we still don’t have savings, do we? To get savings we do need to get buying
from our users, but we need more. First we need to measure. Then track. Then reward our
users based on their efficient use of the software. In the design enhancement software
arena, there are 2 basic indicators of performance – quality and quantity. In our earlier
example of an underground electrical subdivision design tool, first we need to establish a
benchmark for our users prior to using the tool. What is the present volume of work being
done by each designer, perhaps measured in customers or dollars or both, and what is the
per customer cost of each job? Then, after time has passed for users to learn the new tool,
we need to compare the before and after and see if we are getting any benefits.
Lastly, and most importantly, we have to reward our users for those things that we have
deemed worthy of tracking and measuring. Set up a bonus system for “above the bar”
performance. If we have all the tools in place and don’t link our associate’s performance
appraisal to their use of the application, they will concentrate their efforts where they are
rewarded, and sometimes that is merely how long they have warmed their chair. Users
performing below expectations should be given more training. And, if necessary, more
training. If they cannot meet minimal expectations after that, there should be a clear
expectation on the part of the users and management of what will happen next.
The Secret
With all that has been written above, there is one more element that a successful GIS
implementation must have. That element is senior management support. The senior
management team will drive support to middle management, then to front line
management and, finally, to the end user of the software. Without that support, no GIS
project can be fully successful or produce all of the potential benefits.
Because the secret of successful GIS implementation is that the organization must evolve
its processes and procedures, its design and construction methods, and, possibly the
composition of the organization itself. Perhaps this new technology will allow a
centralization of a previously distributed function to be able to reach it’s full potential.
Or, perhaps a workflow for new service to customers needs to be completely reinvented
using the new tools to get the full benefits of GIS. As previously stated, the company’s
performance evaluation and salary actions need to be lined up, not with the use of the
software, but the benefits that are to be derived from the software.
To realign the organization effectively, senior management must first believe in the goals
of the GIS. Secondly, they must believe that GIS can accomplish those goals. Lastly, they
must stay the course and support the GIS project when the users fight it and even when
the technology itself seems to fight it’s own implementation. Cutting edge technology
has cutting edge problems. That’s when it is important to have all levels of an
organization involved in the GIS project. Otherwise trying to implement this technology,
with all the foibles of user resistance, hardware performance, software bugs, and delayed
releases of essential core technology can be akin to pushing a rope.
With all that said, it is a wonder that any project is successful. But, some projects are
successful. It is hard and sometimes frustrating, but, rewarding in the end. Oh, and don’t
forget – have fun along the way!
|
